Archive Article: 1997/12/12

12 December 1997




Christmas primestock shows are in full swing around the

country. And a little merriment and mirth they offer, too, at

an otherwise gloomy time, with farm incomes heading

downwards. FARMERS WEEKLY stopped off on the big day

at Wooler mart in the north-east…

As elsewhere, this show last Wednesday was incorporated into the weekly stock sale. It was an eventful day – at the same time, in London, the government was announcing a ban on the sale of bone-in beef.

Judge Jimmy Ford (right) picked out this one as his champion – a home-bred Limousin bred and exhibited by David Robertson of Embleton Mill, Alnwick. It was bought by family butchers, R G Foreman & Son.

The champ weighed 470kg and made 165p/kg. All told, it was a good day for the Limousin breed, which took every prize.

The day also saw nearly 3000 sheep offered at the market, including 47 pens of show lambs. The prize for the overall champion pen was awarded to A B & F Gold for their Suffolk cross Texels. At 51kg apiece, they made £56 each. At this time of year, theres often more sheep entered than were seen last week. The present lacklustre trade was partly the reason, according to the auctioneers.

Weigh to go… medium and heavy steers averaged 101.4p and 102.9p/kg respectively. Heifers levelled 101.5p and 103.8p/kg.

Among the lambs, overall averages were 91p, 89.6p, 95.7p and 90.9p/kg respectively. Smaller cull ewes averaged £28.50/head, with the bigger ones at £37.60.

Action in the auction… Jack Dudgeon of County Auctions takes a bid.


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